Bogie coupler



Aug. 5, 1947. H. HANDLER 294245930 BOGIE coUPLER 'Filed April 2,1945

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' HENRY HANDLER 4.9

BY fmffmb ATTORNEYS Patented Aug. 5, 1947 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE (Granted under the act of March 3, 1883, as amended April 30, 1928; 370 O. G. 757) 6 Claims.

The invention described herein may be manun factured and used by or for the Government for governmental purposes, without the payment to me of any royalty thereon.

This invention relates to movement of .bogies of artillery mounts from given areas, as from the vicinity of the mount or from the eld of re after the bogies have been removed from the mount and the gun has been set up in position for firing. As is well known these .bogies support the mount and provide the mobility for the artillery piece when it is in condition 4for traveling, but when the gun is set up for rng these wheeled lbogies :are removed so that the gun may be set on a rmer, more rugged foundation. After the bogies have been removed from the mount it is important that they be protected from damage by shell fragments, and the like, as otherwise the mobility of the mount may be seriously impaired or even destroyed, depending upon the extent of the damage indicted on the bogies by opposing fire.

An important object of this invention is to provide for facilitating the removal of bogies from the eld of re, for example, to a region aifording more protection, as to a rear area. Y

Another object is to provide for coupling the bogies together preferably so that they may have the maneuverability of a vehicle chassis having a front pair of wheels which may be swung around as desired to turn or guide the coupled bogies.

Another object is to provide a coupler Which may be readily secured to the front and rear bogies of a gun mount so that the front bogie may be. swung transversely to steer the coupled bogies as they are drawn away.

Another object is to provide a coupler adapted to take torsional strains without requiring a universal joint.

A further object is to provide a bogie coupler having an improved construction and relative arrangement of parts.

The features of the invention are illustrated in the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view, with parts omitted and broken away for purposes of illustration, and showing a bogie coupler connected to the front and rear bogies` of a gun mount;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the rear ybogie shown in Fig. 1, parts being omitted and broken away for purposes of illustration;

Fig 3 is a perspective view of the front bogie shown in Fig. 1 with parts omitted and broken away, and

Fig. 4 is a .perspective view of the bogie coupler shown in Fig. 1.

In the drawings, a bogie coupler in accordance with this invention is indicated generally at I0 in Fig. 4. As shown in Fig. 1 this coupler is adapted to connect the rear bogie, indicated generally at l l in Fig. 2, to the front bogie, indicated generally at l2 in Fig. 3.

The front bogie (Figs. 1 and 3) comprises a stationary axle i4 from which a central draft member I6 and right and left diagonal draft members Il and I8, respectively, may extend to a lunette I9. At each end of the axle a suitable supporting wheel 2| may be mounted in any well known manner. A draft or pivot pin 22 (Fig. l) is adapted to extend through upper and lower aligned openings or holes 23 between which there is a rearwardly opening recess 24 into which a member on the gun mount (not shown) is adapted to extend for pivotally connecting the gun mount to the front bogie by means of pivot pin 22.

The rear bogie ll (Figs. 1 and 2) may comprise a stationary axle 26 which may have a substantially flat upper side 21 adapted to be substantially parallel with the ground when the bogie is in traveling position. A pair of bearing blocks 28 `may be spaced along the right side of the axle, as

viewed in Figs. 1 and 2, this being the rear side of the axle when the bogie is under the mount. These bearing .blocks present inclined bearing surfaces 29 for cooperative engagement with portions of the mount (not shown). Beneath these bearing blocks, brackets 3| carried .by the laxle support swing bolts 32 equipped with manually operable tightening and locking nuts 33 for securing the swingbolts to the mount. From this same side of the axle a pair of .brackets 34 (Fig. 1) extend outwardly and curve upwardly for supporting a fmaneuvering bar 36. A pair of bearing blocks 31 similarly spaced along the opposite side of the axle present upwardly facing bearing surfaces 38 substantially `co-planar with the upper dat side 2l of the axle, while on their under sides these bearing blocks present inclined bearing surfaces as indicated at 39. At each end of the axle a suitable supporting wheel 4| may -be mounted in any well known manner.

As shown in Fig. 4, the coupler l 0 may be in the form of a substantially Y shaped frame :comprising a longitudinal member 42 from which diagonal members or arms 43 and 44 diverge.

the axle, and then by loosening swing bolts 32 and lifting the diverging arms 43, 44 and base blocks 117 olf of the rear axle and passing the coupler forwardly beneath the maneuvering bar 36. Y

From the foregoing, it will be seen that the invention provides a bogie coupler of rugged and dependable construction, which is suitable for towing both bogies simultaneously by the same towing vehicle. This coupler is also capable of being attached to the bogies at the gun emplacement so that they may be towed directly from the emplacement without rst being wheeled manually out of this area. This bogie coupler when connected to the bogies makes it possible for a towing vehicle to maneuver the bogie with satisfactory control. This coupler is also adapted for storage in the prime mover and it is capable of being assembled and disassembled from the bogies in Very short periods of time.

What I claim is:

l. In a bogie coupling arrangement of the character described for the front and rear bogies of a gun mount, the combination of said rear bogie provided with swing bolts whereby said rear bogie may be secured to said gun mount, a longitudinal member for connection at its forward end to said front bogie, permanently attached arms extending rearwardly from said longitudinal member for connection to the rear bogie, and means carried by said arms for interlocking engagement with said swing bolts.

2. In a bogie coupling arrangement of the character described for the front and rear bogies of a gun mount, the combination of said rear bogie provided with swing bolts whereby said rear bogie may be secured to said gun mount, a longitudinal member for connection at its forward end to said front bogie, permanently attached arms extending rearwardly from said longitudinal member for connection to said rear bogie, a pair of members carried by each of said arms, means providing for interlocking engagement of one of the members of each pair with said rear bogie, and means providing for interlocking engagement of the other of each pair of members with said swing bolts.

3. In a bogie coupling arrangement of the character described for the front and rear bogies of a gun mount, the combination of said rear bogie provided with swing bolts whereby said rear bogie may be secured to said gun mount, a longitudinal member for connection at its forward end to said front bogie, permanently attached arms extending rearwardly from said longitudinal member for connection to said rear bogie, a pair of upper and lower members carried by each of said arms, means providing for substantially complementary interlocking engagement of the lower member of each pair with said rear bogie and bearing surfaces carried thereby, and means providing for interlocking engagement of the upper member of each pair with said swing bolts.

4. In a bogie coupler for gun mount bogies of the described class including a front bogie axle and a rear bogie axle with mount securable swing bolts carried by the latter, a longitudinal member for connection at its forward end to said front bogie axle, permanently attached arms extending rearwardly from said longitudinal member for connection to said rear bogie axle, and means carried by said arms for interlocking engagement with said swing bolts.

5. In a bogie coupler for gun mount bogies of the described class including a front bogie axle and a rear bogie axle with mount securable swing bolts carried by the latter, a longitudinal member for connection at its forward end to said front bogie axle, permanently attached arms extending rearwardly from said longitudinal member for connection to said rear bogie axle, a pair of members carried by each of said arms, means providing for interlockingengagement of one of the members of each pair with said rear bogie axle, and means providing for interlocking engagement of the other of each pair of members with said swing bolts.

6. Ina bogie coupler for gun mount bogies of the described class including a front bogie axle and a rear bogie axle with' mount securable swing bolts carried by the latter, a longitudinal member for connection at its forward end to said front bogie axle, permanently attached arms extending rearwardly from said longitudinal member for connection to said rear bogie axle, a pair of upper and lower members carried by each of said arms, means providing for substantially complementary interlocking engagement of the lower member of each pair with said rear bogie axle and bearing surfaces carried thereby, and means providing for interlocking engagement of the upper member of each pair with said swing bolts.

HENRY HANDLER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 257,073 Robinson Apr. 25, 1882 346,325 Selle July 27, 1886 1,588,323 Macnab June 8, 1926 735,585 Preuitt et al Aug. 4, 1903 

